By Gavin Norman
Gaylord News
WASHINGTON – Oklahoma’s attorney general on Thursday joined President Donald Trump in labeling the state’s out-going governor as a weak Republican.
Tension between Donald Trump and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt reached a boiling point Wednesday, as Trump took to his Truth Social platform in a series of personal attacks against the governor, who is currently the Chairman of the National Governors Association (NGA). In a Truth Social post regarding Stitt, Trump declared Stitt to be a “RINO,” meaning “Republican in Name Only.”
Atty. Gen. Gentner Drummond, a candidate to succeed Stitt as governor, wasted little time in joining with Trump.
“I stand with President Trump. I am glad President Trump called Governor Stitt out for being a RINO. Governor Stitt misrepresented the President’s invitation to the governors and has often taken baffling positions that are out of step with Oklahoma republicans.”
Another potential successor Chip Keating, was even more direct in his assessment of the state’s current political leadership. Arguing himself to be the only true “America First” candidate in the race, Keating immediately used his stance to cast doubt on his political opponents and Stitt.
“My opponents in this race were never known as ‘Trump guys’ before they announced for governor,” Keating said. “These office-hoppers are only loyal to their next election, not to the Oklahomans who elected them and overwhelmingly voted for President Trump all three times.”
The conflict started when the White House allegedly chose to withhold invitations to Democratic governors to a yearly bipartisan event scheduled for Feb. 20. As NGA Chair, Stitt withdrew the NGA from business breakfast and a followup black tie dinner in protest of the partisan shift.
The situation changed on Wednesday when Stitt informed all 55 governors and territory leaders that he had spoken with Trump and that the “misunderstanding” was resolved, claiming all governors had now been invited to the event.
This was when Trump took to social media to refute Gov. Stitt’s claim that there was misunderstanding. Trump said Stitt “incorrectly stated” his position.
The dispute turned even more public and personal Wednesday evening when Trump posted a follow-up on Truth Social, calling Stitt a “very mediocre” governor. He went on to claim credit for Stitt’s 2022 re-election victory, stating the Governor had “called for help” when he was allegedly losing the race. “I Endorsed him, and he won – Sorry, my cherished Oklahoma, to have done that to you!”.
This drama is a significant shift for Kevin Stitt, who has historically been a vocal supporter of the Trump administration. However, Stitt’s recent public disagreements with the White House over National Guard deployments and federal immigration policy have created visible friction.
While Trump says the event was always open to most governors, he stated that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis remain uninvited, saying they were “not worthy.” While Gov. Polis has stayed Gov. Moore took to X to express his opinion about not being invited to the White House:
“As the nation’s only Black governor, I can’t ignore that being singled out for exclusion from this bipartisan tradition carries an added weight – whether that was the intent or not.” said Moore.
“As Governor of Maryland and Vice Chair of the NGA, my approach will never change: I’m ready to work with the administration anywhere we can deliver results. Yet, I promised the people of my state I will work with anybody but will bow down to nobody. And I guess the President doesn’t like that.”
As a governor in his last term, Kevin Stitt is barred from seeking re-election in 2026, which may provide him with an increased level of political flexibility. His current pushback against Trump surrounding his NGA decision follows a 2024 election cycle where Stitt initially endorsed Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for President over Donald Trump.
Their recent history of conflict suggests that the Gov. Stitt may be prioritizing his role as a NGA Chair over the traditional party system typically required for future campaign efforts. As of Thursday, Gov. Stitt’s office has not released an official response to the “RINO” comment or the claims surrounding his 2022 campaign.
Gaylord News is a reporting project of the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. For more stories by Gaylord News go to GaylordNews.net.
